Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Live and Let BARBAROSSA

Here's another cover from our friend Lukáš Berný in the Czech Republic. This is a Czech edition of John Gardner's 1991 novel The Man From Barbarossa using poster art from the 1973 Roger Moore film Live and Let Die. I love crazy book/movie mash-ups like this, especially on continuation novels. One wonders how many readers were disappointed that the book contained no Tarot cards or speed boats?


Thank you Lukáš.

Monday, October 24, 2016

From the CZECH REPUBLIC with Love

Here are several unique James Bond covers from the Czech Republic sent over by Bond collector Lukáš Berný from Prague. The first block of covers are from 1968-1992. While the use of Sean Connery is obvious, the eagle-eyed among you might also spot Timothy Dalton in the artwork.


Below is a newer series which, according to Lukáš, are now quite rare in his country. These were released by Delfin between 1997-2002. The publisher released the six Fleming titles picture here: Live And Let Die, Diamonds Are Forever, Moonraker, Thunderball, From Russia With Love and For Your Eyes Only.


Thank you Lukáš!

Sunday, October 23, 2016

IAN FLEMING goes undercover in 'Timeless'

Monday's episode of the new NBC time travel series Timeless features English actor Sean Maguire as Ian Fleming. The episode is called "Party At Castle Varlar" and finds Fleming undercover in Germany during World War 2.


POPSUGAR Entertainment recently spoke to the actor about his role:

PS: What excited you the most about playing Ian Fleming? Were you a fan of James Bond growing up?

SM: Of course! You know, I'm a boy that grew up in London. I mean, James Bond is the epitome of a cool, masculine, suave guy. There can't be many guys in Britain that don't aspire to be a little bit like James Bond. As I said, Jim Barnes wrote it knowing that we'd react by saying, "Oh, that's where that comes from in Bond," or, "That's the trait we see in the Bond character." For me, it was essentially as close as I'll ever get to playing James Bond, and I relished every second of it.

You can read the full interview HERE. Timeless airs on NBC Monday's at 10/9c. For more details and more images visit NBC.com.

Thanks to Gary J. Firuta.

UPDATE: Here's a screen capture of Ian Fleming's Weapon of Choice, the Bond book (and film) created by time travel.

Monday, October 17, 2016

HAMMERHEAD exclusive from CBLDF

The first issue of Dynamite's James Bond HAMMERHEAD six-part miniseries is out now, and CBLDF (Comic Book Legal Defense Fund) has this terrific exclusive cover that evokes the British Pan paperbacks of the 1950s. Love it!

Bond is assigned to hunt down and eliminate Kraken, a radical anti-capitalist who has targeted Britain's newly-upgraded nuclear arsenal. But all is not as it seems. Hidden forces are plotting to rebuild the faded glory of the once-mighty British Empire, and retake by force what was consigned to history. 007 is a cog in their deadly machine - but is he an agent of change, or an agent of the status quo? Loyalties will be broken, allegiances challenged. But in an ever-changing world, there's one man you can rely on: Bond. James Bond.

It looks like this exclusive might be tricky to track down. I refer you to the CBLDF website for details. You can buy the regular issue via Dynamite.

Thanks to Tanner at Double O Section for the alert.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

SERPENT'S TOOTH (1992)

In 1992, Dark Horse Comics took over the James Bond comic license and released Serpent's Tooth written by Doug Moench with art by Paul Gulacy. The graphic novel originally appeared in 3 issues. It was later collected into a trade paperback edition.

Collected edition.

Individual issues.

In Serpent's Tooth, 007 battles the villainous Indigo who plans to cause massive tsunamis that will wipe out 83% of the world population (he'll rule the rest). Locations include Switzerland and Peru. The Bond Girl is Sunny Vasquez. The henchman comes in the form of Goliath, a genetically altered 009. The story slips somewhat into the world of sci-fi. Bond even battles a genetically reborn Velociraptor!

Serpent’s Tooth abounds in Bondian action, both gritty and high concert. It's very cinematic, and at the time of release, it nicely filled the void left by the "6 year gap" of the films. In fact, in many ways it feels like the large scale "fantastic" third Dalton film that we never got.

According to artist Paul Gulacy, Glidrose (now IFP) deemed Serpent’s Tooth the best non-Fleming James Bond story of them all — including all the films and continuation novels up to that point. It's definitely one of my favorite Bond graphic novels.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

PERMISSION TO DIE (1989)

In 1989, Eclipse would attempt to revive the long dormant world of James Bond comics with Permission To Die, an original James Bond "graphic novel" written and illustrated by Mike Grell. While the first two issues were released in 1989, the concluding issue # 3 would not appear until 1991. A rare collected edition was published in 1992.

Collected edition.

Individual issues.

In Permission To Die, Bond battles Dr. Erik Wiziadio who seeks to destroy Victoria, British Columbia to prove the need for world disarmament. The Bond Girl is Edaine Gayla and locations are England, Hungary, Austria, and Idaho (yes, Idaho).

The story contains some interesting nods to the films and continuation novels. Bond drives the Aston Martin DB5 (six years before the DB5 would return in GoldenEye). He also uses the John Gardner-era ASP 9mm handgun. Grell always claimed that his model for 007 was based on Hoagy Carmichael, whom Fleming once said was his visual idea of what James Bond looked like.

Eclipse would also release an adaptation of Timothy Dalton's 1989 Bond film Licence To Kill,  illustrated by Grell. Writing duties were handled by Richard Ashford. Published in a magazine size hardback and paperback, it’s been said that Dalton would not allow his likeness to be used, so a generic Bond was used.

Licence To Kill and Permission To Die would be the only Bond comics from Eclipse.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Folio Society releases new FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

The Folio Society, who last year released a beautiful illustrated slipcased edition of Casino Royale, have now released Ian Fleming's From Russia With Love.

Named as Ian Fleming’s finest novel in numerous polls, and described by the author as, ‘In many respects, my best book’, this nail-biting thriller sees 007 ensnared by an elaborate plot devised by the Soviet counter-intelligence agency, SMERSH. Set among the bazaars and minarets of Istanbul, and aboard the Orient Express, the novel features some of the series’ most memorable characters. The ebullient and dissipated Darko Kerim reigns over ‘Station T’ with the help of his many children, and becomes Bond’s firm comrade. Rosa Klebb is the repugnant SMERSH operations chief whose weaponry includes a boot concealing a poison-tipped knife; Red Grant is the terrifying psychopath whose lust for murder has made him Chief Executioner. Tatiana Romanova is the ravishing, guileless instrument of a deadly honeytrap designed to destroy and defame the Secret Service’s greatest agent. This elegant edition features a pictorial slipcase and alluring illustrations by Fay Dalton, whose work also appears in the Folio edition of Casino Royale.


Bound in blocked cloth
Set in Miller Text
272 pages
Frontispiece and 6 colour illustrations
Printed slipcase
9˝ x 6¼˝

The From Russia With Love Folio Edition is priced at $59.95 and is available now from the Folio Society website.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

ANTHONY HOROWITZ TO PEN SECOND BOND NOVEL IN 2018

Huge news today! IFP has announced that Anthony Horowitz will return to pen a second James Bond novel to be published in 2018. Here's the full press release from The Bookseller.

Novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz is writing a new James Bond novel for "Ian Fleming’s original publisher", Vintage imprint Jonathan Cape.

Horowitz was invited to write a second official James Bond novel by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd after the success of his 2015 bestseller, Trigger Mortis, published by Orion in September last year.

The news Jonathan Cape will publish the new Bond book follows swiftly on the heels of news Horowitz is writing a new series of 'whodunnit’ crime novels for Century and Arrow.

As yet untitled, the setting will be "period Bond" and the story will again feature previously unpublished material by Fleming.

UK and Commonwealth rights were acquired for Cape by Richard Cable, m.d. of Vintage, and Michal Shavit, publishing director at Jonathan Cape, to publish in spring 2018. Rights were sold in the English language by Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown, on behalf of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd and The Ian Fleming Estate.

Cable said: "We are delighted to welcome Anthony Horowitz and a new James Bond novel to Jonathan Cape, Ian Fleming’s publisher. Anthony’s first Bond novel, Trigger Mortis, was a great critical and commercial success, and we know that there are thousands of Bond fans who will be thrilled that Anthony has taken on the challenge once again."

Horowitz said: "Writing Trigger Mortis was a pleasure and I was delighted by the positive response when it was published. And I was thrilled when the Ian Fleming estate asked me to come back. How could I refuse? I can't wait to return to the world of James Bond."

Horowitz is the fourth author in recent years to be invited by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd to write an official Bond novel, following in the footsteps of William Boyd, whose Solo was published in 2013, the American thriller writer Jeffery Deaver, who wrote Carte Blanche in 2011, and Sebastian Faulks, whose Devil May Care was published to mark Ian Fleming’s centenary in 2008.

Horowitz has written over 40 books including the teen spy series Alex Rider, which is estimated to have sold 19m copies worldwide and was adapted into the movie "Stormbreaker" in 2006. He is also a writer for adults and was commissioned by the Conan Doyle Estate and Orion Books to write a new Sherlock Holmes novel. The House of Silk was published in November 2011, selling more than 35 countries around the world. He is also behind television series including "Midsomer Murders" and "Foyle's War".

Corinne Turner, m.d. of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Anthony Horowitz is going to write a second James Bond novel with inspiration again from original Fleming material, and of course delighted that Bond will be back home at Jonathan Cape. Trigger Mortis was a superb book, full of energy, wit, twists and turns, and we can’t wait to see what Anthony comes up with next."

Horowitz last night (3rd October) launched Magpie Murders, a standalone crime novel inspired by Agatha Christie and the golden age of crime fiction, which publishes on Thursday (6th October). In the spirit of the night, attendees were asked to solve a riddle to find the venue, the 1901 Art Club, where an intimate gathering took place.

In addition to Trigger Mortis, Orion has also published a set of Sherlock Holmes novels by Horowitz, including The House of Silk.

Thanks to Double O Section for first alerting me to the news.

Monday, October 3, 2016

FELIX LEITER spin off comic coming in 2017

Dynamite Entertainment has announced that Eisner Award-winning writer James Robinson and artist Aaron Campbell will team up for a new James Bond coming book miniseries spotlighting Bond’s friend and ally in the CIA, Felix Leiter.

"Felix Leiter is a fantastically interesting character," says writer James Robinson in a statement. "He combines the best elements of the James Bond universe with the dark alleys and darker deeds of crime fiction. A private detective, done with a life of spying, who is constantly dragged back into that world, like it or not. I'm excited for readers to see the tale of intrigue and big action that I've dreamed up for Felix."

"I've been a lifelong fan of James' writing and it's beyond a thrill to be working with him on not one, but two comic book projects this year," says Joseph Rybandt, Executive Editor at Dynamite. "The expansion of the 007 comic book world this time out focuses on his American counter-part, Felix Leiter, and sends him into Japan. It's a trip all Bond fans are going to want to take this January!"

Felix Leiter appeared in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger, Thunderball, and The Man with the Golden Gun. In Live and Let Die, Felix is the victim of a shark attack in which he loses part of his right arm and left leg, sporting prosthetic limbs during his subsequent appearances. In this new miniseries, we meet Leiter post-injuries and working independently from the CIA at his own detective agency.

James Bond: Felix Leiter #1 is slated for release in January 2017.

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